St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-06-11
Wells engagement ring.

Well'S engagement ring.
One morning, as she sat at work upon
her porch, boy hurried up the path.
She remembered him as the child who
had brought the water in that pretty cot
tage parlOr where she had seen the
beautiful invalid to whom DR.. Manly
took her flowers.
SIS the doctor here-Dr. ManlyT' he
asked. II was told he might be. Miss
GwendOline is dying, Aunt Jane says.
Oh, miss, if you only can tell me where
to find him. He'll save her If anybody
can" fi
The child was crying. Jessie was
troubledla and agitated.
'sThe- doctor must be on his round of
visits" she said. ''I'll send Jack to
look for him."
She called the lad who helped the gar
dener and babe him go with the little
fellow and search for the doctor; and
then she hastily dOnned her riding habit
she did not know, or whether she could
do any good but her heart babe her go.
She alighted at the door and entered
in haste. The girl sat in her chair, the
old nurse stood behind her.
You have come," said the girl. 81
am SO glad-so glad. They came this
morning. l saw both of them. You
don't know, perhaps. Mother smiled
father looked stern; but they will for
give NE after while; they are both
dead; but they came; saw Them"
I'm dream? asked Jessie.
NO." said Gwendoline. 'sTheir spirits
came; Think how strange that was.
You know, was engaged to my cousin,
DR.. Manly?"
No." said Jessie; Il did not know"
81 was" said Gwendoline, ''but L
Tilted him. He was not handsome. He
was grave and older than /, and / liked
AShley-AShley HoneyweIl-and one
night ran away. Oh, it was years ago.
/ am five and twenty now; / was IL
then, and my father died of il, and my
mOther-Oh, was a wicked girl! We
went to Italy. He married me with a
ring. He said it was true marriage.
believed it; but one day he told me it
was no marriage at all. He was in love
with an Italian woman, a singer. l
spoke of it and of myself as wife to
whom he should be true Then he said
] was not his wife. He said was fool
to believe that a ring and VOW between
us two could make me one, and ran
away. l hid on steamer coming to
America. | was starved and frozen
when they found me. l had this cold.
they were good to me and brought me
here. But my parents were dead,
and the only one who knew me was the
man j Tilted, my cousin, DR.. Oliver
Manly
Jessie bent her head upon the pale
hand she held, and tears fell.
Don't cry for me-" said Gwendoline.
Il am going very soon to heaven-to my
mother. l shall pray there that some
girl will love cousin 0lfver-some beau
tiful woman-like-you-" She ceased
speaking, and soft smile crept over her
face.
The sound of wheels filled the cottage
room. The doctors gig was coming.
He was there.
That evening Jessie stood alone with
Ashley Honeywell and drew his engage
ment ring from her finger and gave it to
him. She turned from him with con-
tempt and he left her.
Down in the garden some one moved
to and fro. 1t was DR.. Manly. He was
gathering white crysanthemums-
last flowers of the garden. Jessie went
down to his side. Without word she
began to help him. They were the last
flowers he would gather for Gwendo-
lines sake. They were StreWn in her
coffin and she slept in their midst with
that soft smile upon her face, and Jessie
seemed to hear again these words:
Il will pray that some good woman
may love Cousin Oliver and make him
happy and she seemed to hear them
afterward when she had long been DR..
Manly's wife.